RAIPUR,CG: Chhattisgarh Health and Family Welfare Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal on Wednesday, in response to a question during Question Hour, said that 749 doctors in the state are posted at one place from the date of their first appointment till date. Out of these, 131 doctors are running private hospitals or clinics.

MLA Vinayak Goyal had asked the Health Minister that how many such doctors are there in the state, who are posted at one place in the medical college and district hospital from the date of their first appointment till date and are also running their own private hospital or clinic. Can the management and financial charge of the Ayushman Scheme run by the Government of India in medical colleges and district hospitals be given to contractual employees? If yes then where is it given? Please provide the list?

In response, the Health Minister said that 749 doctors in the state are posted at one place from the date of their first appointment till date and out of these, 131 doctors are running private hospitals or clinics.

He said the employees working on contract in any government medical college and affiliated hospitals have not been given the management and financial charge of Ayushman Scheme.

The government doctors who do not get private practice allowance can operate polyclinics at their residence. Apart from this, no government doctor can operate a separate hospital or clinic. Generally, there is a provision in the health department that any doctor is transferred within 3 years.

The Health Minister also admitted in the House that there is a huge shortage of doctors in the department and if any doctor is ready for government service, he will be appointed within 24 hours.

Now the question arises that out of the 749 doctors stuck at one place since their posting, the 131 doctors who are running private hospitals or clinics, have they been given permission by the department, or if they have not been given permission. If so, has any action been taken? However, neither the MLA has asked any question in this regard nor the Health Minister has given any information about it.